Report: York City Ladies 1-3 Leeds United Women | OneFootball

Rousseau brace helps Leeds to derby win.

FA Women’s National League Division One North

York City Ladies 1 (Brown 85’)

Leeds United Women 3 (Rousseau 16’, 50’, Smith 52’)

York City Ladies: Sidwell (GK), Jeffels, Heald, Hughes, Smith, Cattle, Holder (Ash 55’), Fevers (Duffield 46’), Jones, Brown, Hardcastle. Subs not used:, Singleton, Findlay, Sykes.

Leeds United Women: Simpson (GK), Jakeman, Elliott, Smart (C), Pizzarello, Danby, Whitham, Smith (Price 86’), Ellis (Bartup 72’), Rousseau (Fox 98’), Williams (Brown 55’). Subs not used: Kirkham (GK).

Venue: LNER Community Stadium, York

Attendance: 615

Referee: Daniel Sykes

Booked: Bass, Smith, Bartup (Leeds)

Leeds United Women made it four wins from four at the start of the season as they defeated York City Ladies 1-3 at the LNER Community Stadium.

The Whites named an unchanged starting XI to the one that beat Doncaster Rovers Belles 1-3 on Sunday, but were boosted by the returns of Abbie Brown and Laura Bartup who took their place on the bench, alongside youngster Olivia Fox who made a matchday squad for the first time.

After a slow first 10 minutes, it was the hosts who registered the first shot of note in the game, with Alice Hughes curling an effort off target from 25 yards.

Leeds responded though and broke the deadlock on 16 minutes. Jess Rousseau capitalised on an under-hit pass from Jess Heald before rounding Rebecca Sidwell in the home net and slotting home.

The York stopper had to be a her best to deny Rousseau a second shortly after, getting down sharply to her right to keep the deficit at one.

The hosts came close to an equaliser on 28 minutes, Jess Holder’s mis-hit shot almost dipped in to the far corner but grazed the crossbar on it’s way over.

A carbon copy almost had the hosts level on 37 minutes, this time it was dipping under the bar but Simpson threw herself backwards and held on to the ball to claim, then clear the danger.

The Whites had been much the better side in the first half, with more sharp passing much like the performance that brushed Doncaster aside on Sunday, but they took just a narrow lead in to half time.

HALF TIME: York City Ladies 0-1 Leeds United Women

At the start of the second half, Leeds’ quality shone through as they put the game to bed within the first seven minutes after the restart.

On 50 minutes, Rousseau doubled her tally for the evening by showing blistering pace to run through on goal before firing home, after latching on to Whitham’s ball over the top.

It was 0-3 just two minutes later! The ever-lively Paige Williams crossed into the box and it was pinpoint for Kath Smith, who was there to fire home on the half volley for her second goal in as many games.

York didn’t give up fighting and did create a couple of chances in the last half an hour. Substitute Ella Duffield fired over and Simpson made a great save to deny Fliss Jones’ close range effort.

Leeds’ rhythm was disrupted somewhat in the second half as they lost both Williams and fellow winger Macy Ellis to injuries.

York continued to grow into the game, Alice Hughes saw a free-kick sail over Simpson’s goal, before dragging a good chance wide on 83 minutes.

The hosts did get the consolation that their late efforts deserved on 85 minutes, when captain Nikki Brown unleashed a stunning strike from 25 yards which finally beat Simpson.

Leeds would of course have preferred to see the game out with a little more control, but in truth they had done more than enough to prove themselves worthy winners in the first half and the opening stages of the second.

The Whites return to the Bannister Prentice Stadium on Sunday, with Middlesbrough the visitors.

FULL TIME: York City Ladies 1-3 Leeds United Women